Repaired last



W. J. SHAW REPAIRED LAST May 6, 1930.

Filed Sept. 6, 1927 Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED srrss ATENT' GP-FEE WESLEY J. sHA W, or EAVERHILL,

W001) HEEL 00., F HAVEBI-IILL, CHUSETTS MASSACHUSETTS, ASSTGNOR TO NEW ENGLAND MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSA- REIPAIRED LAST Application filed September 6, 1927. Serial No. 217,615.

The present invention, though having also other fields of usefulness, is more part1cularly related to shoe lasts and their manufacture.

5 In the manufacture of shoes, it is customary to secure an insole temporarily to the sole of a wooden last by tacking. Thesole of the last is frequently covered with a sheet.- metal plate, and thelatter is provided with several perforations through which the tacks 'ments. I

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve upon last manufacture, to the end that the life of the last may be lengthened and its efficiency increased,

though at comparatively slight cost. Other and further objects will be explained hereinafter and will be particularly pointed out in r as defined 1n the appended clalm.

the appended claim.

With the above ends in view, a feature of the invention consists in replacing thetackdriven wood by a plug of suitable material, such as rubber,-compressed very solidly. The tacks are very easily driven into this plug,

but without wearingthe compressed rubber to any material degree. Preferably, the sole of the last is first drilled'to provide a suitable recess, the plug is provided in the form of a frustr-um of a cone, the larger end of which is wider than the diameter of the recess, and the plug is then driven into the recess, causing the said larger end to become compressed therein.

The invention will now be explained 'more at length in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig.1 is an elevation V of a last, partly in section, after it has been drilled, in readiness to receive the rubber plugs; Figs. 2 and?) are views illustrating the method of the present invention; and Fig. 4

is a similar. view showing the completed article.

Recesses 2 are drilled in a last at the places where the wood has been worn away by the tacks. These recesses are alined with the perforations provided inthe metal plate 6, if

such aplate is secured to thesole of the last. A conical rubber plug 8 is then driven into each recess, with the smaller end foremost. The rubber or other material of the plug should be of such consistency that it is soft enough to permit the tacks to be'driven thereinto and yet sufiiciently dense so that the tacks driven thereinto formholes of very small dimension when the tacks are withdrawn, the rubber closing up again over the hole formed by the removed tacks. so as practically to destroy all trace of the hole. Rubber such as is 7 used in the making of rubber heels has been found to answer the purpose very. well. All

such materials are herein referred to under the generic term rubber. The rubber plug is finally cut flush with the sole of the last or with the plate 6.

Modifications Wlll readily occur to persons skilled in the art and are considered to fall within the spirit and scope of the invention of the plug closes up over the hole formed by the removal nail so as practically to destroy all traces of the hole.

In testimony whereof,I have hereunto sub V scribed my name.

' Y WESLEY J. SHAW. 

